Derrygonnelly 1-09 Erne Gaels 1-08 

Once again Derrygonnelly Harps have made Erne Gaels sup sorrow from the rusty spoon of defeat in the dying minutes of a cagey championship encounter, this time in Irvinestown.

They did it in the county final of 2016, semi-final of 2017 and to a lesser degree in last year’s county final and in a few league games.

Erne Gaels must have been thinking that they had finally aborted this hateful hoodoo as they led by 1-08 to 0-09 five minutes into injury time.

They had possession but the impressive Ryan Lyons was knocked off possession around their own 45 metre line.

Suddenly the Harps were three on one and Ronan McHugh palmed the ball to the net to once again snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

It is something this remarkable team have been doing for around a decade and the fact that they are now in the county semi-finals minus Ryan, Conall and Garvan Jones speaks volumes for their strength in depth and resilience.

Shell-shocked Erne Gaels were not able to respond as they ponder just how they lost a game they commanded for so long.

Belleek led by 1-07 to 0-06 at the break and were not flattered by that margin in the slightest as they bossed the first 30 minutes.

But they could only score one point in the second half as the Harps, as they do, stormed back into this game with gusto.

Before the match began a minute's silence was observed in memory of Erne Gaels and Fermanagh GAA stalwart Gerry Gallagher who passed away recently.

Erne Gaels had much the better of the early exchanges with Ultan Kelm nudging them into a 0-02 to 0-00 lead with quick-fire points from a free and from play.

It took the Harps eight minutes to respond through Leigh Jones.

But Ryan Lyons increased Belleek’s lead with a point a minute later.

Jones replied with another point for the Harps in the 10th minute as the Gaels led by 0-03 to 0-02.

A scoring famine ensued in which both sides missed some good chances before a Gary McKenna pointed free tie matters on 0-03 each by the 17th minute.

But the Gaels then hit Harps with a goal and a point in the space of a minute to put real daylight between the sides.

Dan McCann arced over a fine point in the 20th minute and this was swiftly followed by a goal from Ultan Kelm who did well to keep the ball in play before finding the net a minute later to put Erne Gaels into a 1-04 to 0-03 lead.

Rory Joe Duffy replied for Derrygonnelly and this was countered by points from Shane Rooney, Ultan Kelm and Michael Óg McGarrigle.

Gary McKenna had the final point of the half to leave the Gaels leading by 1-07 to 0-06 at the break.

McKenna and Rooney swapped points on the resumption as the tempo of the game dropped considerably with both sides missing chances as Aidan McKenna pointed for the Harps who were gradually asserting themselves.

A Gary McKenna pointed free left the Gaels ahead by 1-08 to 0-09 before McHugh pounced for that all-important winner.

Erne Gaels now have a home tie quarter-final against Teemore next weekend as Derrygonnelly are rewarded for their late win with a semi-final berth.